Fogaraté

Fogaraté! is the seventh album of the famous Dominican songwriter and musician Juan Luis Guerra. It was released in July 8, 1994.[3] The album features a particular, bachata-styled adaptation of the Lacrimosa movement from Mozart's Requiem Mass in D Minor and it contain Guerra`s first song fully in English "July 19". The album musical structure was mostly based with traditional rural merengue from Dominican Republic, "Perico Ripao" with elements of African soukus music and Tropical Music such as Reggae, Son and Salsa. For many fans and critics, Fogaraté! is one of his most musically complex album.

Fogaraté!
Studio album by
Juan Luis Guerra
ReleasedJuly 8, 1994
Recorded
GenreMerengue, Bachata
Length46:06
LabelKAREN Records
Juan Luis Guerra chronology
Areito
(1992)		 Fogaraté!
(1994)		 Grandes Éxitos Juan Luis Guerra y 440
(1995)
Singles from Fogaraté!
  1. "Viviré"
    Released: 1994
  2. "La Cosquillita"
    Released: 1994
  3. "El Beso de la Ciguatera"
    Released: 1995
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [Fogaraté at AllMusic link]
Cashbox(favorable)[1]
Billboard(favorable)[2]

The album received widespread critical acclaim, citing it as one of the Top 10 best albums of 1994 according to some music critics.[4][5] Forgarate was nominated for Best Tropical Latin Album at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards and for a Lo Nuestro Award for Tropical Album of the Year at the 7th Lo Nuestro Awards.[6] Also, Juan Luis Guerra won songwriter of the year at the 1995`s BMI Latin Awards and the singles Vivire, La Cosquitillita and El Beso de la Ciguaetera were awarded as well.[7][8][6]

Despite this, the commercial response for the album was moderate to limited in comparison to his blockbuster album Bachata Rosa (1990) and the million-sellers Areito (1992) and Ojala que llueva Cafe (1989). To promote the record, Guerra embarked some farewell concerts before taking a 4 years hiatus due personal issues such as stress, pressure and sleeping problems which caused his conversion to christianity. He later comeback with Ni es lo Mismo Ni Es Igual in 1998.

Background

The recording sessions of Forgarate were longer than Bachata Rosa and Areito, taking almost a year to be finished. The album musical structure featured the Dominican meregue band of Francisco Ulloa that help to recorded interpretations of accordion-based típico merengue while exploring elements of African and Caribbean rhythms. John Storm Roberts by Allmusic, called the final result as "soukous-influenced merengue".[9] Also, it contained some songs Bachata style of music, incorporating such international popular music as Merengue, Salsa, Soukous and Cuban Son rhythms.

According to Billboard, as of 1994, Areito and Bachata Rosa sold 8 millions of copies worldwide.[10] Initial shipments of "Fogaraté" include 70,000 units in Spain and 10,000 in Holland. A Japanese was released on September of that Year.

Commercial Reception

The album was commercial success in Europe. It peaked at the Top 20 in Portugal and Netherlands. In Spain It debuted at number 1 of the Spanish album charts and stayed there for five consecutive weeks and was certified platinum.[11][12]Also, it was the 15th Best Selling Album of 1994 in Spain and the 8th Best Selling Album by a Foreign Artist of 1994.[13]

The album success in Central America surpassed all projections set by the Label at the time. Due to the album musical structure, songs like "La Cosquillita" And "El Farolito" get recurrent airplay and streams in the Dominican Republic.

In the United States, Forgarate debuted and peaked at the top 5 in US Billboard Top Latin Album and Tropical Album charts selling over 200,000 copies in the first four months. Also, the album won Tropical/salsa album of the year, duo or group and the single "Vivire" Tropical/salsa song of the year at the 2th Latin Billboard Music Awards.[14] It was the 4th Best Selling Tropical Album in the United States of 1994 and the 29th Best Selling Latin Album Overall.[15]

The album lead single, La Cosquillita reached the number one in Spain and Top 10 in US Billboard Top Latin Songs and Tropical Songs Charts. Also, it peaked number 7 in New York Top 25 airplay, 3 in Miami Top 25 and Puerto Rico Top 25.[16][17][18]

Sales figures for Fogarate were good in comparation of most tropical artist at the time. However, album sales were lower than his previous work Areito (1992) and commercial disappointment in comparation to Bachata Rosa in 1990. Many attributed this to the album structure was mostly based on the traditional perico ripiao," the more danceable prototype of the "merengue" , which was not popular outside of the Dominican Republic and some fans were unfamiliar with Dominican culture at the time. This situation along with the controversy around his predecessor and Guerra's refusal to not to repeat the commercial formula of mix rhythms used in Bachada Rosa, led a popularity decline in some countries.[19][20]

Tour

To promote the album, Juan Luis Guerra did some personal appearances and shows. In 1995, he played just two sold out farewell concerts before taking a 4 years break of music.

The First one, was in June 10, 1995 at the Estadio Olimpico, Santo Domingo. The concert was sold out with attendance of 50,000 fans and grossing over US$455,000. The Second, in June 17, 1995 at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico with attendance of 25,000 and grossing over US$750,000.[21]

Track listing
  1. Los Mangos Bajitos - 3:55
  2. El Farolito - 3:42
  3. Los Pajaritos - 4:02
  4. Viviré - 4:00
  5. El Beso de la Ciguatera - 4:08
  6. Oficio de Enamorado - 4:52
  7. Lacrimosa - 3:20
  8. Fogaraté - 3:40
  9. Canto de Hacha - 3:53
  10. Oprobio - 2:48
  11. July 19 - 4:06
  12. La Cosquillita - 3:40

Name of the Album

Fogarate is the Dominican word for the plant Mucuna pruriens, a plant whose dust causes an intense itching on contact with the skin. But the word has a double meaning: in the Dominican Republic it is said that a person has "fogaraté" when he is very "on", or if he is very "alive". A woman who has "fogaraté" is that she is turned on in terms of sensuality.

Charts

Weekly Charts
Chart (1994) Peak

Positions

Chilean Albums (AFP)[22] 9
European Albums (Top 100)[23] 24
Netherlands (Mega Album Top 100)[24] 18
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[25] 1
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[26] 19
US Top Latin Albums (Billboard)[27] 3
US Tropical Albums (Billboard)[27] 2

Certifications and Sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[14] Platinum 100,000^
United States — 200,000[14]

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/90s/1994/CB-1994-10-22-OCR-Page-0017.pdf#search=%22juan%20luis%20guerra%22M
  2. https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Billboard-Index/IDX/1994/1994-07-09-Billboard-Page-0003.pdf#search=%22juan%20luis%20guerra%22
  3. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  4. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  5. https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/90s/94/MM-1994-12-24-OCR-Page-0032.pdf#search=%22juan%20luis%20guerra%22
  6. Burr, Ramiro (May 7, 1995). "Tejano artists in line for national honors". San Antonio Express-News. Hearst Corporation.
  7. Inc, Nielsen Business Media (1996-05-04). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
  8. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  9. Fogaraté - Juan Luis Guerra y 440 | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 2020-11-19
  10. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  11. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  12. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  13. "ANUARIO SGAE 2001". www.anuariossgae.com. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  14. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  15. Inc, Nielsen Business Media (1994-12-24). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
  16. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  17. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  18. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  19. "30 años de Bachata rosa, de Juan Luis Guerra". la diaria (in Spanish). 2020-06-26. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  20. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  21. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  22. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  23. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-24.
  24. "Juan Luis Guerra – Bachata Rosa". MegaCharts (in Dutch). Hung Medien. 1991-08-10. Retrieved 2011-05-07.
  25. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  26. "Ranking" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. 1994. Retrieved 2020-11-21.
  27. "Juan Luis Guerra 440 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-04-06.
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